Buckle



l. U. RUSS.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, I918- RENEWED FEB. 18, 1920- Patented Apr. 20, 1920;

IN VENTOR JW/n Ufiuss ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ULMER RUSS, 0F DERBY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT N. BASSETT COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF SHELTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

BUCKLE.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed. November 22, 1918, Serial No. 263,665. Renewed February 18, 1920. Serial No. 359,539.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN U. Russ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Derby, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a certaln new and useful Improvement in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to buckles for run ning webbing of the kind generally used on hose supporters, suspenders, belts and the like, and its object is to construct an eco-' nomical, durable and attractive buckle.

My buckle belongs to the class generally known as slide buckles wherein the moving portion of the webbing is threaded throughtwo or more slots and its extremity secured to the attaching member between the slots. Buckles ofthis style are well known in the art and the particular. kind to which mine relates gen'erally consists of a rectangular frame provided with a web-attachlng bar or member disposed across the middle of the frame in a'manner so as to be slidable up and down upon the side members of the understood by those skilled in the art I have embodied the same in the new and improved buckle set forth in the following description and accompanying drawlngs 1n which like reference characters refer to corresponding parts. v

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of my buckle strung with webbing a portion of the webbing being shown broken away.

Fig. 2, a central, vertical section showing the position of the web-attaching bar when the webbing is under stress; I

Fig. 3, a central vertical section showing the position of the web-attaching bar when th ewebbing is slack and in position to be adjusted, and

Figs. 4 and 5, detail views showing the means for holding the web-attaching bar in its locked position when the buckle is in use.

The buckle generally comprises a frame A made out of either sheet metal or wire,

but preferably of wire, and a web-attaching bar B slidably mounted on its side members. The frame A comprises a top bar 2, side bars 3, 3 and a lower bar in the form of inwardly projecting pintles 4., l. The webattaching bar B consists of the back plate 5, having laterally projecting straps which are curled around the side members 3, 8 to form sleeves 6, 6. Projecting from the lower edge of the back plate 5 is an upwardly projecting lip 7 between which and the back plate is confined the extremity 79 of the webbing C. The lip 7 is pressed down on the extremity 7c of the webbing to permanently grip the same in a manner well known in the art. The other extremity of the webbing is passed forwardly through the opening formed between the webattaching bar B and the bottom bar 1, 4; and then rearwardly between the web-attaching bar 13 and the top bar 2, leaving a loop in the webbing depending below tlie buckle and carrying a cast-01f or other suitable connecting piece D. A plurality. of web-holding teeth or spurs 8' project from the lower edge of the webattaching member B being punched out of the metal so as to lie in the same plane with the back plate 5, but having their extremities bent forwardly so that their direction will be substantially at right angles to the path of the webbing passing through the opening under the same when the webbing attaching bar is in its lowermost or looking position, as shown in Fig. 2. The top bar 2 of the frame is preferably provided with a ferrule 10 and the bottom bar 4:, 4 with a ferrule 11. These ferrules 10 and 11 serve not only to strengthen the top and bottom bars and enhance the appearance of the buckle but also act as anti-friction rollers to facilitate the passage of the webbing through the buckle when the web-attaching bar is in its unlocked-position. The side members 3, 3 of the frame A are provided with snap over lugs 12, 12 on their inside faces adjacent to the lower extremities.

frame when the web-attaching member B is raised and'lowered. The sleeves 6, 6 are formed so that they will slide readily upon the side members 3, 3 which have sufficient play therein so that when the projections 12, 12 are engaged by the lugs 13, 18 the s1de members 3, 3 can spring slightly to permit a snap over action of the lugs the one past the other.

From the above description it will be apparent that when the webbing is under stress the web-attaching member B will be pulled down by the webbing so that it will inch or 'ri) the )ortion of the webbin frame engaging and holding down the lugs' which passes through the opening underneath the same and that the teeth or serrations 8 will materially assist such gripping action. The downward strain on the webbing as it passes over the top edge of the back plate 5 has a tendency to throw the points of the teeth forwardly, thereby Y causing the same to more securely grip the webbing. Any tendency of the web-attaching member B to slide upwardlyout of its locked position should the webbing be momentarily slackened when the buckle is in use is prevented by the lugs 12, 12 on the 13, 13 on the web-attaching member. This is one of the important features of my in-' Fig. 3 in which it will be noticed that the teeth 8 have been withdrawn and that the path of the webbing is free and unobstructed through the openings above and belowlthe web-attaching bar. The buckle is preferably constructed so that when the web-attaching bar is in its unlocked position the upper and lower openings would be of the same width as the openings in the buckle should the web-attaching bar be made integral with the frame. That is, the

f width of the openings above and below the bar would be no greater than necessary to effect a ready adjustment of the webbing when the latter is held. in its adjusted position by the friction due to the threading.-'

In making the buckle in this manner and at the same time making the web-attaching bar no wider than is necessary to form lips of suficient length for gripping the end of} the webbing an exceeding y narrow and compact buckle is produced. Of course it is}:

,understood' that various features of the) practical buckle could be produced should. the snapover lugs '12 and 13 and the gripping teeth 8 be dispensed-with. I In such a case the webbing would be locked in its adjusted position by the gripping action alone between the web-attaching bar- B and the lower side of the frame. It should be noticed that in the form of my buckle described herein the back of the webattaching bar is covered with webbing which produces the so called rustless effect. It is conceivable, however, that the webbing may be swaged on the bar in some other manner even though the rustless effect is not preserved. the web-attaching bar. is the means by which the web is deflected .as it passes through the frame thereby eliminating'the employment of a separate web-defiecting bar for this purpose... The web-attaching bar also serves as a means for adjusting the It should be further noticed that width of either the upper or lower opening since it forms the lower side of the upper opening and the upper side of the lower opening. It is apparent that .a buckle in which all of the above mentioned features are embodied in the web-attaching bar is economical and efficient and possesses numerous other inherent advantages.

To assemble the device the web-attaching bar B is first swaged onto the end 70 of the webbing C. This operation may be performed either by manually operated tools or automatic machinery in a manner well known in the art and if desiredaway from theplace where thebuckle'is manufactured. The web-attaching bar is then attached to 'the'frame A of the buckle by curling the straps 6, 6 around the side bars 3, 3 above the lugs 12, 12.v The cast-ofi' piece D having been passed on to the webbing the free end is then threaded through the buckle'above and below the web-attachingbar B. The.

web-attaching bar is then pulled down past the retaining lugs 12', 12 and the hose supporter is then ready for use. Thus it would appear that the strain on the webbing is taken up by the web-attaching bar which due to the fact that it'is folded on itself to form the lip is not so liable to bend or flex as would .be the case if a single thickness of metal only were .employed.

hile the buckle above describedis the .preferred form of my invention, yet it is obvious that thesame is susceptible to such modification as mayfairly come within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent isr ,1. A buckle comprising a frame provided with a webbing opening and a web-deflecting bar slidably imounted on' sztidframe buckle disclosed are not essential in theii across said opening, in combination.-witha running webbing, one end of which is swaged to said bar, its moving portion be ing passed forwardly through said opening underneath said bar and rearwardly through said opening over said bar, where: by the said moving portion is deflected by said bar into said opening and the under side of said bar may co-act with the lower side of said opening to grip the webbing when the latter is under stress.

2. A buckle as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the end of the webbing is swaged to the top side of said bar whereby the back of the bar is covered with webbing.

3. A buckle for running webbing comprising a frame provided with a webbing opening, a web attaching bar slidably mounted on said frame across said opening and arranged to co-act with the lower side of said opening to lock the running portion of the webbing, and means mounted on said frame for holding said web-attaching bar in its operative locking position.

4. A buckle as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the frame is provided with means for holding the web-deflecting bar against accidental upward movement away from the webbing when the latter is slack.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of November, 1918.

JOHN ULMER RUSS. 

